I know Dave Grohl officially has the title of the nicest man in rock but “We are Scientists” are definite contenders for the title in the future, luckily though they leave their p’s and q’s in the wings when stepping the boards. They’ve developed a reputation for being a bit wacky and off the wall and with shows like this it’s well deserved.

Chris, Keith and Mike take stage donning the usual office worker/substitute teacher attire aided by one of the strangest “walk on” tunes I ever heard. True to form WAS like to do things a little differently but to come on stage to sounds of Phil Collin’s “Against all Odds”, not only pull it off but manage to get the entire audience to sing along is nothing short of astonishing. Luckily though they launch into “Cash Cow” and it’s this that reminds us of what it is that allows them to get away with such “tom foolery”. Although WAS are set to release a “rarities and b-side” compilation the set list doesn’t really come to much of a surprise to anyone apart from the introduction of new tune “Behaviour”, quite a funky sounding offering that has wet the taste buds well in prep for some new material they’re hoping to put out sometime next year. The new tune went down well but after the Phil Collins situation earlier on in the show you kind of get the feeling that they could have sung “three blind mice” to a rapturous response!

Up until mid set WAS had relied on florescent sticky tape on flight cases reading a wonky “W A S” either side of the drum kit to act as they’re back drop until the classic black curtain was set alight by a blanket of small lights, giving the stage a touch of class that ran hand in hand with the performance courtesy of the boys from Brooklyn. After a longer set than usual (as Mike reckons people expect more for their money nowadays!) consisting of all the energy and inter-band banter we’ve come to associate with WAS its “The Great Escape” that acts as the curtain closer for the evening much to the disappointment to the by now “fever pitch” following. Stand out tunes for the evening were the obvious ones, “It’s a Hit”, “Cash Cow” and of course “The Great Escape” but it was only one tune that everyone was talking about leaving the show.

The New Yorkers took the stage for the finale in suit jackets looking like they were about to leave the office after a hard days work, only to perform the funniest fair well Cardiff Uni is likely to stage ever. Mike (swigging from a bottle of red wine) Keith and Chris take us through a karaoke style heartfelt rendition of the Boys II Men classic “End of the Road”, backing vocals courtesy of every single person in the building. If anyone tries to tell you they didn’t get caught up in the moment and didn’t sing along they’re lying.

by Neil

Read our interview with Mike by clicking here

or check out the after show party here

Photography by Jay